Sally West is a renowned Australian artist whose paintings capture the essence of the natural world in a distinctive and captivating way. Born in 1971 on a farm in West Wyalong, Central New South Wales, West developed a love for art and the outdoors from an early age. Her childhood experiences on the farm and her move to Eastern Sydney during her teenage years have greatly influenced her work, as has her extensive travel throughout Europe and Southeast Asia. She earned a Bachelor of Visual Communications at KVB College of Visual Communications in North Sydney in 1995.
West’s paintings are characterized by a combination of texture, abstraction, and calming colors with the movement of her thick paint strokes evoking the sensation of a gentle breeze or waves. Her use of pastels and delicate shades of color in the background of her works further enhances this effect. Some works utilize brighter earthy colors for a bright day, while others choose muted palettes for the wash of fog on the ocean or haze of the sun. West’s use of color is uniquely her own and conveys the feeling of comfort associated with vague familiarity. Although her travels have influenced her style and color palette, West’s subject matter remains very close to home, with sailboats and flowers featuring prominently in her art.
West is a central figure of the New South Wales and coastal art scene. Since her first breakthrough solo exhibition in New York in 2011, West’s artworks are highly sought-after internationally. She has won and placed as a finalist in numerous worldwide art competitions and juried exhibitions throughout her career. Her artworks are exhibited with influential galleries across Australia as well as in New York.
